Sports Editor Matthew Yannie recently talked to† field hockey goalie Madalyn Myers í12.† Myers and the Scots have started† undefeated through their first† six games including a 4-0 start in conference play.
Myers was named the the NCAC All-Conference second team as a first year and has enjoyed similar success early this year.
MY: Given the success of last yearís NCAA appearance and an outright NCAC title, how high were the teamís expectations for this season?
MM: Our expectations were very high. Obviously we are going for a second conference title this year, and hopefully getting a little further than the first round of the NCAA tournament. We are just really pushing hard for those goals.
MY: Coming in as a first-year last year you not only won the starting spot in the goal, you were also named to the NCAC All-Conference second team.† What sort of pressure did you feel as a first-year starter last season?
MM: I was very nervous and did not quite know what to expect. It was sort of an ìI canít believe this is happening to me,” moment, but the team was really supportive and made me feel really welcome.
MY: How did it feel to earn such high individual honors as a first-year player?
MM: I really wasnít expecting to be named to the All-Conference team; it was a big surprise.† I think the level of play of the team and my teammates around me really helped to push me to that level.
MY: Last season you had a .787 save percentage and let up an average of 2.0 goals per game.† This season, through five games, we have already seen an improvement in those numbers with your save percentage being .820 percent and your goals against average being only 1.78.† To what do you attribute your continued and increasing success this year in the goal?
MM: I would say it is just a matter of having more experience. At the beginning of last season I was really nervous and made a lot of little mistakes that didnít help much, but the experience of last year has really helped me Iíd say.
MY: Youíve spoken twice now about how experience has helped you. Do you think this team has already begun to improve with game experience, even in the early stages of the season?
MM: I definitely think so. We have a lot of first-years who are contributing this year and I think just being able to give them the time getting on the field and starting to get used to it has really helped. We really are starting to come together as a team.
MY: What was the most difficult part about having to start the season with five straight games away from home?
MM: Our upcoming games will be challenging, but will be big steps toward that goal. We have some tough opponents in conference, but going 12-0 would be awesome and I think we are capable of that.
MY: How big of a role have the 10 first-years played in the early success of this season?
MM: We have had a lot of first-years starting and they all have a lot of talent and are really good coming in as first-years.† Having two starters graduate last year has really opened up some space for them to come in and help.
MY: How much of the early success this season can be attributed to the leadership of upperclassmen and players returning with experience from last year?
MM: We have really great captains this year who have really taken control and shown the younger players the ropes, both in leadership and carrying on the Wooster field hockey tradition.
MY: What are your personal goals for the remainder of the season?
MM: I would love to see our team finish undefeated.† I think it is definitely a possibility.